Home Interior Design Living Rooms

The living room is a very important part of the home. It serves its own unique purpose for the master of the house, just like the rest of the house. In order to have a clearer understanding of what the essentials of living room interior designs, it is first important to know what purposes does a living room serve. Basically, the living room is a place that is designed for a relaxed yet active exchange between the people happening to be in that place. This purpose holds true whether the person currently relaxing on the family room is alone with himself, or with his family, friends, visitors, or colleagues. The living room is a spot that is designed for openness; thus, it must give the ambiance of acceptance and friendliness. After all, the living room is where you bring your visitors. You wouldn't let into your room someone who isn't welcome in your life, would you? To sum it up, we may then presume that the room serves two purposes. Primarily, it should be a place for an active exchange and secondly, it should be a place that expresses your acceptance of the visitor. These two will be the working principles to be used in this article.









Based on the preceding paragraph,interior designs should provide an active yet relaxed environment. This can be done, obviously and basically, by designing the colors of your wall and lighting to provide those conditions. Such active colors for a wall include light orange, a slightly stronger tint of flesh, white. However, although colors such as red and electric blue can be considered as active colors, they will not qualify as colors for your room. This is because the color red gives an illusion of space in such a way that it makes the space look smaller, thus, it becomes more intimate, which could be intimidating for visitors especially the newly acquainted ones. Meanwhile, electric blue is also not suitable as colors of a wall because when seen in huge spaces, such as walls, it has a slight effect of inducing dizziness to some people, and any of your visitors could be one of them. As for lighting, an incandescent lighting is more suitable for achieve a relaxed yet higher activity for a room, rather than for fluorescent bulbs. However, since it also now important so save energy, one good trick to comply both objectives is to use one strong, but small in size, incandescent bulb and surround its upper half with a stainless steel bowl. The use of a few energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs to scatter the light is also advisable.

The family room is not named merely as it is for no reason. It is called the "living room" because it is where the life of the house should be. Knowing this, it is very important to have a source of lighting from the very source of light: the sun. So, when planning your living room interior designs, be sure that one of the fixtures, basically the window, should be placed in a way that it accepts as much sunlight as you see fit.

Color Scheme For Living Room

A living room is the first room in a home interior that the user will see when he enters the house. That's why designing a color scheme for living room it is extremely important that it gives a inviting experience to your user and to the home owners as well.

We can say that the color scheme and the entire interior decorating theme of the living room will create first impression in your viewer's mind. This is good in a way because the living room design ideas you are going to use will set a definition for the decorating thee for the entire home.

While actually painting the living room you can use a variety of painting options starting from the actual shade to the texture of the finish. Whatever you decide remember that avoid dark colors that can cause a depressing mood in the living room. Your room interior must create a pleasant mood that will make the user comfortable.










If the living room has curtains on windows, design them in such a way that they allow enough direct sunlight to enter the living room. Natural light after falling on living room walls will reflect into deeper areas illuminating the corner dark areas. This technique is called as indirect or diffused light and is extremely effective in adding extra mood in living room color scheme without any additional costs. You can also make use of combination of color schemes in living room interior decorating.

Another easy way to decide the color scheme of the living room is to follow theme such as a cool color scheme or hot color scheme. Which you should choose entirely depends on the actual climatic conditions surrounding your home. It's related to the amount of direct sunlight you receive.

Furniture Designs For Living Room

A living room is a blank canvas in many respects. And like any blank canvas, the brush strokes of creativity can create any design imaginable. From modern to rustic, furniture designs for living room settings can make magic.

For many people the different furniture designs for living room living can be pretty confusing. While there are definitive styles of furniture designs for living room furnishings that are very easy to understand, many others cross between the styles, muddying the waters, so to speak.

Furniture designs for living room décor fall into several main categories. They are:

Contemporary or Modern: These follow the minimalist mantra of "form follows function," and the furniture designs for living room settings have distinctive straight lines, dramatic curves and polished surfaces. They lack the ornate features of other furnishings and make use of more industrial materials, such as fiberglass, plastics and aluminum.

Urban: A variation of contemporary, it is very minimalist. The emphasis is on brushed aluminum, a dark finish and glass. The furniture is scaled to be small, fitting well into an apartment.

Traditional: This style of furniture designs for living room layouts is characterized by ornate carvings and a majestic appearance. They are elegant and often use dark woods.

Transitional: This is a blend of traditional and contemporary, using the simplicity of modern furniture with the more ornate features of traditional furniture.











Country/Cottage: Furniture designs for living room settings that are country or cottage have a simple, weathered look to them. The emphasis is on lighter shades or muted colors and vintage fabrics, giving your room the look of a simple country home.

Eclectic: This style of furniture designs for living room décor mixes different periods and styles. It features unique pieces that are tied together by color, shape, texture or finish.

Rustic: Rustic furniture has a primitive appearance to it. It has simple lines and a feeling of practicality. These look great in a home with exposed beams and lots of wood. Think mountain cabin and you have the idea behind this style.

Art Deco: The emphasis here is on furniture designs for living room layouts that feature strong vertical lines, rounded corners and bright colors. It is a very energetic look and the furniture is often made of exotic woods or veneers.

European: This is a catchall term for furniture that is English, Italian or French in origin or style. It's a very distinctive look. For example, French can feature beautiful carvings, rich fabrics and very complex patterns. Italian picks up influences of marble, stone and wood, reminiscent of the Roman Empire. English has spindled legs and ornate backs, often in dark woods.

There are certainly other minor styles of furniture, but these should help you understand the basic differences between the most common styles.

The best thing to do is determine what style fits your own tastes the best. Some people won't have anything besides modern in their home while others gravitate to country. There's no right or wrong. In fact, you can have entirely different styles in different rooms. If you're an interior design pro, you can even have them in the same room and simply refer to them as eclectic. Just know that this can be hard to pull off and it can end up looking like a train wreck instead.

To get a sense of the different styles, look online. Many online retailers sell different styles of furniture on the same site so you can get a sense of what you like and don't like. Put your favorites into a folder on your computer and then look through them to find common threads of textures, colors, lines or styles. It's one of the easiest ways to find the perfect furniture for your living room.

Home Furniture Design Software

There are currently more than just a few furniture design software in the market. However, one of the best in the business has got to be 3D Spacer. This interior design program is specially designed for furniture manufacturers and retailers who want to gain a competitive edge.

The software allows customers to design the interiors of their homes based on the furniture being offered. Instead of looking for furniture that will match one's interior design, this program gives a higher importance to the furniture, and it is the design that is adjusted based on the chosen furniture.

From 2 to 3D

Created specifically for commercial design, this user-friendly application has the ability to display any piece of furniture, as well as any type of room layout in both 2D and 3D views. The result is a truly realistic and accurate interior design that is second to none. 3D Spacer works best for company websites of furniture manufacturers as it is an excellent means for customers to design their interiors based on the manufacturer's furniture. Not only is this software unique and effective, but it is also quite fun and amusing.








When it comes to the 2D design, features include detailed descriptions of each item, a project budget estimator, and fully customizable room dimensions and shapes. This program also delivers excellent 3D visualization and some of the photo-realistic features included are rotating and resizing of the design, a 3D view of each item and the entire interior model, and printable layouts.

The 3D Spacer Edge

The addition of the software application one one's website will definitely work wonders for the company's revenues. Because it allows users to design their own homes or offices on the website, 3D Spacer has the ability to attract more customers, thereby providing a competitive edge. Its service can also go beyond that provided to the regular customers, and can extend to the company's interior consultants as well. Best of all, the Spacer program establishes a company image that is technologically advanced in every sense of the word.

Tech Specs

The software relies on the powerful and advanced technologies provided by the likes of 3D and 2D CAD, XML, and Flash Macromedia. Although it is operated by a highly sophisticated engine, this program's interface is as user-friendly as can be. In fact, it can even be used by amateurs or hobbyists that have very little experience in the industry of interior and furniture design. 3D Spacer is definitely an excellent addition to any furniture manufacturer's website.

Beautiful Living Room Interior Design

Whether starting from scratch or working with existing furnishings, the following design tips will assist in creating the captivating and stylish living or family room that you envision. If you are unsure of the look you want to achieve or just need some inspiration, look at magazines, watch home design shows on TV, visit the show rooms of new homes, or hire an interior designer. When assembling all the various pieces and layers of a room, fundamental concerns to keep in mind are style, scale, hierarchy, color, and details.

Style: In broad terms, style is generally described in terms of Modern, Contemporary, Transitional, Traditional, or Eclectic. Yet, more descriptive definitions include the choice of a theme such as Traditional Georgian, Modern 60's Retro, Contemporary Coastal, and so on. Keeping a consistent style in a room can make a strong statement about that particular style. On the other hand, mixing styles can add an interesting complexity to a room. Decide on a Style and Theme early in the design process so that you have a strong direction.

Scale: Whether furnishings are large and massive or small and petite, the entire ensemble should appear proportional, balanced, and harmonious. Typically, large bulky furnishings should have bold accents and accessories. If a room is small, very large furnishings can make a room look smaller. However, a few larger pieces are better than numerous smaller pieces. Conversely, small furnishings can become lost in a large room, especially one with high ceilings.

One design solution to address spaces with high ceilings is to use long drapes. This helps to define the scale of the room and can create a spectacular impression. If ceilings are low, stick with furniture that is lower in height to avoid making the ceiling look lower. To make a room look bigger, use mirrors. They give an illusion of more space.

If buying new furniture, it is a good idea to draw a floor plan to scale and add the furniture to the plan. This helps not only in understanding the scale, but also in whether the space will function properly. Is there sufficient space to move around, sit, and walk?

Hierarchy: Establishing hierarchy provides organization and focus to a room. When dealing with a living room, positioning the couch and chairs is of most importance. Identify the focal point of the room. This might be a beautiful view to the outside, a feature wall with a group of pictures, or a fireplace. Use the larger pieces of furniture to reinforce the focal pint. Then follow with other smaller pieces.

Use area rugs to identify and organize spaces. Rugs are good at visually tying the couch and chairs together. If your living and dining area is in the same room, a floor rug located in the living room will help delineate the two spaces. Also, a free standing screen is another good option.









Colors: Of course, color has a dramatic impact on the character of a room. Identify an inspirational piece such as a rug, fabric, or picture to determine your color palette. If your theme is coastal, you may want to incorporate shades of blue or neutrals. If your theme is traditional, strong reds, blues, or greens may be most suitable. Pale creams and beige color walls will give the impression of a more space. Warm colors such as reds and yellow can make a space appear smaller. Pale colors are typically more calming whereas strong colors are more stimulating.

When choosing a color from a swatch, go at least one shade lighter than you think you want. When the color is put in the wall it will appear more intense than when it was on the swatch.

For rooms in which you spend a lot of time, it is generally better to keep the colors neutral. Limit the use of strong colors to small areas. Stronger colors work better for rooms or areas such as a bathroom, hallway staircase, or bedroom which are in use for a limited time.

Details: A really great design concept can be ruined by clumsy execution. So, take the time to make sure the furnishings are in good shape and that the accessories blend well with the overall theme. There are times when the worn and weather look is desirable. But if it is worn out, it should be repaired, refurbished, or replaced. The accessories can be a different style than the furniture, but they should blend in terms of scale and color.

The table lamp is an important accessory because it is both sculptural and functional. Lighting alone can change the entire ambiance of a room. Make sure the size, color, and shape are appropriate for the location. In general, drum shades look more modern and conical ones look more traditional. In a traditional setting, changing the style of a lamp from traditional to modern or contemporary is one way to give a room a more updated look.

Interior designers will typically recommend using incandescent light bulbs because the light emitted is considered more conducive to creating an attractive setting. However, if you are seeking to reduce energy consumption, the compact fluorescent bulb is an affordable alternative to consider. The lighting quality has improved over the years and some people prefer them.

Place pictures at eye level to avoid making the ceiling look lower. Also, lower hanging pictures helps to visually unify the pictures with furniture located below - if there is any. Limit the use of family pictures in the living room. It is better to locate family pictures, trophies, diplomas in a bedroom, den, or office. If using several pictures to create a focal point, group them together as though there were an imaginary frame around them. Don't spread them out.

Hopefully, this brief article has given you a few ideas in designing your living room. A room that is well-designed has an almost magical quality and can be inspirational. Most importantly, make sure the room reflects your style and personality.
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